Article Author:
Associated Press
Yuri Kageyama
Tokyo (AP) — Former Tokyo Olympic Organizing Committee board member and three clothing company surprise sponsors of the 2020 Games. Did. He was arrested Wednesday on bribery charges.
Haruyuki Takahashi, a former executive at advertising firm Dentsu, is suspected of accepting bribes from the former president of Aoki Holdings and two of its employees, prosecutors said.
A company that makes affordable business suits was chosen as a surprise to dress his team for the Japanese Olympics when other countries' top fashion brands were designing outfits for their athletes. was Aoki is associated with the so-called "recruit suit" in Japan worn by young people fresh out of school for job interviews and first jobs.
This bribery , believed to be associated with Games sponsorship and Olympic-related products. Corruption at the top of Olympic officials has long been rumored, but the arrests hit Japan's Olympic ambitions.
Takahashi is credited with earning him $3 billion as a local sponsor for the Tokyo Games. Japan is also aiming for his 2030 Winter Olympics in Sapporo.
Aoki said the matter was still under investigation and could not comment immediately. She could not be reached for comment from the Japanese Olympic Committee.
According to Japanese media reports, Takahashi denied any wrongdoing and emphasized that he received compensation for his consulting services.
In the summer of 2021, Tokyo will host the Tokyo Olympics with much fanfare and criticism. The event was postponed for his year, and tickets were not on general sale due to the coronavirus pandemic.
This was a disappointment, as the Olympics were supposed to boost tourism revenue and spotlight Japan's prowess in the same way the 1964 Tokyo Olympics did.
The official price for the most recent Tokyo Games was $13 billion, mostly public money. That was double his original estimate for awarding the Olympics to Tokyo by the International Olympic Committee, but below his $25 billion that some had predicted.
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